Act Nice And Gentle
by krissyg927
Summary: Carol wakes up from a night of drinking with her friends, but she's not alone. Non ZA, AU. Caryl.
1. Chapter 1

Act Nice And Gentle

A/N: Act Nice and Gentle is a song by The Black Keys, one of my favorites and I can just imagine them dancing together to it. It's my Caryl song.

I do not own The Walking Dead or any Characters, I just like to bend then to my will.

Carol sighed and rolled over in the bed, onto her stomach, she had the dream again last night, this time it felt so real. More real than ever before. One day she knew she would have to go to the student counseling center and talk to someone, maybe get some therapy. She'd already read everything she could get her hands on the meaning of dreams. Nothing had helped, it wouldn't go away.

It wasn't right the way she dreamed about him sometimes, he was her best friend, all her life. It bothered her that she couldn't stop this, that her mind did this to her, while she was asleep. She realized she had a headache this morning, which was better than the ache she always had after the dream, the ache in her heart and everywhere else. She was glad the dream only came a few times a month. But it unnerved her every time. She didn't understand why this kept happening. She felt ashamed of herself.

She opened her eyes carefully not to make her headache worse and winced, the sun was way too bright. Shining in her eyes and heating her skin. Her window wasn't on this wall, near the bed, it was over by Lori's bed. She shouldn't be feeling the heat of it so strongly. Did she have a hangover?

Then she realized she didn't have any cloths on. This wasn't her dorm room and she wasn't alone. She looked up on the wall opposite the bed and saw the familiar Metallica Ride the Lightning poster on the wall. She looked to the other wall, thinking 'please, please don't be there,' but it was.

The '65 Mustang poster. Oh my God, she thought to herself, she was in Daryl and Rick's room. It wasn't a dream this time!

And this was the most epic fuck up of her life.

She looked around with one eye and saw her bra and cellphone across the room on Rick's desk, Daryl's boots by the door and things started to come back to her as she started to wake up. She could hear his slow steady breathing next to her.

/

They had all been out last night at their favorite bar, Donovan's, three blocks away from campus. They loved it because they could walk there and not have to worry about driving. Her roommates Lori and Tara were there. Glenn, Maggie and Daryl who she already knew from home. Rick, who was Daryl's roommate, Eugene, Alisha, Andrea and Michonne, and a few others they had met at the dorm or in classes they had. She had been celebrating the end of a horrible six month long relationship, with the school star Lacrosse player, who couldn't keep his hands to himself. He had grabbed her arm once during an argument, and that was it. They were done, Carol was not taking crap from any man. It had left a bruise because he had grabbed her so hard. She dumped him, immediately, but Daryl and Rick still wanted to go have a talk with him. He was having trouble getting the hint, so that might still happen. She didn't tell them about the bruise, though.

Daryl would kill him, for sure.

They had all been drinking, having a good time, and she and Daryl got a little lit. They were feeling really good, and happy last night. That wasn't something new, they had been friends all their lives, shared a lot of good times through the years. They grew up right next door to each other back home in Flowery Branch, GA since they were three. They had drank together lots of times. She remembered leaving with him, before that kissing him in the hallway by the pool table in the back of the bar.

That was new, she may have thought about kissing him, but she never acted on it. Too afraid to ruin the good thing they had.

She tried to calm herself down and remember what happened, while suppressing the urge to run.

/

They stopped to kiss a few times during the walk back to the dorms, his arm around her holding her tight to him as they walked. It was March still a little cool at night, but they hadn't really noticed. He smoked a cigarette while they walked, she remembered that too. They talked a little on the way home too. About the usual things they always talked about, classes, homework, all so normal. They Said hello to Milton and Tyreese, who were manning the front desk of the dorm. Daryl always called them the desk commanders. They were the ones who buzzed them into the building. She remembered that too. She also remembered they were sobering up a little by the time they got home.

Then he was kissing her against the door to his and Rick's room, his body against hers, running his hands through her hair, and whispering things into her ear, and she felt drunk again. Just enough so when he asked her finally what he always wanted she nodded her head and said yes.

"I want you. "He had said into her ear his voice gravely and hot, placing kisses behind her ear. His voice sounded like every dark thing she'd ever want, his kisses tasted like the first time she had ever had chocolate.

"Yes." She said, her hair practically standing on end from what he was doing to her ear. "Yes." And he looked at her, his hands on her shoulders now. "I want you too."

He went in for another kiss and pressed against her, this time so she could feel him against her.

"This is gonna be so good." He drawled into her ear, slowly.

She went in his room with him, of her own free will, knowing what was going to happen. She wanted it to. They both did. But as always he was looking out for her. She remembered him asking her a few times more if she was sure, if it was okay, it was more than okay and she was sure, then. And she was sure a few hours later when he woke her up again with the sweetest kisses she had ever had, but, now in the light of day she felt confused and a little scared.

/

She looked over, he was laying on his stomach and the sheet was around his hips. His blonde hair, splayed over the pillow, his head turned towards the window. One arm over his head, one on his side under the sheet. She was trying to push down her panic. Telling herself to "Just Breathe" over in her head. She could handle this, she'd have to. She slowly sat up careful not to wake him.

She looked down at him, she had always loved his shoulders and arms. He was strong from working with his hands all his life. He didn't have to work out like all the jocks in their dorm. He naturally had that great build. He also gave the best hugs, if she was upset, she could count on that to make her feel better. So many times growing up she had sought out his arms, for hugs only. Even the smell of him could calm her down, a divine mixture of the earth, coffee, cigarettes and chocolate. He smelled like home.

She had seen him shirtless before, of course she did, but it was different now, after what they had done.

And she remembered everything they had done.

She started to reach over to touch the two tattoos on his back, she had gone with him to get those. They had both been sixteen. Thanks to that little adventure she had two nice dragonflies on her back, in the same spot, which she loved. That was the summer he taught her how to drive too. But then she shook her head to herself, sat up and reached over to the floor for her shirt, tying to be quiet and not wake him, because she had to get out of there right now. She was losing the fight with her panic and she needed to go.

Suddenly his hand was around her wrist, so lightly, because he knew not to handle a woman roughly. She hadn't even saw him move, he was fast as lightning, from years of hunting in the woods and stalking prey, back home. She should have known he would feel her movement, no matter how quiet she tried to be.

"Don't even think about it." He grumbled into the pillow "You ain't bailing on me."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you to everyone who followed, favorite and left a review. This is one of the things that has been swirling around in my head for so long, so thank you to every one. :) Also I'm nervous about this chapter, just so you know :)

Chapter Two

Carol pulled the sheet over herself and tried to figure out how to handle this. She could feel his eyes on her now. He was waiting to hear what she was going to say. He probably already knew, they were close and knew each other so well.

"I wasn't..." She said looking down. She didn't want to look at him.

He turned his head and sat up, releasing her wrist right away. She sat up too, grabbing her shirt off the floor and putting it on, her back to him. Then she turned around. She would have to face him sooner or later, might as well get it over with.

"Really?" He looked at her. "Are you forgetting, I know you? You going to try and tell me you weren't going to get dressed and take off?"

"Where's Rick."

"With Lori I guess, you really worried about them right now?" He rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand. "They aint here,"

"Daryl, what the fuck were we thinking?"

She asked, and she was getting more mortified by the second as things from the previous night came back. She couldn't look at him, she was afraid he would see it in her face.

She had dreams about this, for a long time. He would know, because he always knew when something was bothering her. What would he think of her now? She felt like she blew it now, he meant so much to her and she got drunk and ruined everything.

He had once told her all men think about sex all the time with everyone. It was just Biology, the way they were wired, it didn't necessarily mean anything. She figured he had thought about her. Maybe. But it didn't mean anything.

This was something she was sure neither of them had ever considered, or wanted. Until apparently they did consider it, with the help of some Stoli.

WDWDWWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD

Last night what they both wanted was clear. It didn't mean anything.

No more alcohol for her, she vowed. That fucking song, and he asked her to dance, that's what had done it. They had danced together before, not like this though. He held her so close last night, his hands on her hips and she had her arms around his neck, their foreheads together looking only at each other.

It had felt so good. It felt right.

That wasn't how they usually danced but, they had some drinks in them and "Act Nice and Gentle" was playing. That was a good song. They were flush up against each other, he was singing it in her ear a little, and moving his hips against her, dancing with her slowly. But not like a friend would dance with you, like a lover would, it was hot. And she liked it.

They finished dancing and looked at each other, and something had changed between them. She saw it flash through his eyes and felt it run through her veins. There was some kind of spark between them that had not been there before. At least she thought it had never been there before. Now she wasn't sure, she was all confused, was it there before? Maybe that was why she had the dreams. She had felt something different, something growing between them as they stood there looking at each other.

Before she knew it he had her by the hand and was leading her to the back of the bar, away from their friends, away from everyone, where it was dark. She went, he hadn't forced her or anything like that, she _wanted to go._

She remembered hearing "Alive" by Pearl Jam playing. She liked that song, now every time she heard it she would think about what happened next.

When they got to the back of the bar, they stood facing each other, and his thumbnail went right to his lips, he always chewed it when he was thinking about something. This was how he was when he was running something through his head. She knew he was deep in thought, working it out in his head like a puzzle.

She knew what he was thinking. Even in the dark she could see his face and the expression on it. He had felt it too, and he was trying to understand what it was.

Half of the song played. Now he was biting his lip, phase two of how Daryl made decisions, she knew him so well. She had seen him do this a hundred times. It was a process for him and she knew that was just the way he figured out things.

But he didn't do anything, he just looked at her, with a funny look on his face. Like he was in a trance or something. She watched his eyes move to her lips and back up to her eyes.

The words to the song were ringing through her ears now.

 _Oh you know where. Now I can't see. I just stare. I'm still alive._

So she did something. Because why not?

She put her hands on his chest and leaned up and kissed him softly. He brought his hands up to her upper arms and returned the kiss. She felt like she was on fire the minute their lips touched. She never had a kiss affect her like that before. Then, she looked up at him and didn't recognize the look on his face or in his eyes. He never looked at her like that before, it set her heart on fire, they stared at each other for a few bars of the music. It was like a moment in time where you know your next move is going to change your life forever. This time he did it.

Suddenly he had her in his arms and he was kissing her again, his hands were everywhere on her and her hands were everywhere on him. He deepened the kiss, running his tongue along her bottom lip and she moaned, opening up to him. That had undone him, he practically growled, she remembered he walked her backwards, still holding her and kissing her. She hit the back of the pool table and he mumbled "Sorry." He leaned down and kissed her again. His hands went down on her ass and then he was picking her up and sitting her on the pool table.

His mouth was on hers again right away and she had practically wrapped her legs around him. It was dark back there and it was a good thing because both of them forgot where they were. His hands were running up her legs and sides and back down until they were under her knees, he grasped her there and he pulled her to him. They couldn't get close enough to each other, years of something, whatever that had been pent up between them was suddenly released. She never felt like that before, like her blood was on fire inside her. They were devouring each other like two starving people, and she was starting to sweat and she couldn't understand why. It felt like the temperature went up to a hundred degrees in the place and it was March. She needed to take her sweater off or she was going to burn up.

She felt his hands moving under her shirt and up her back and she was sure she was going to explode from his touch on her skin. It felt so good to feel his hands on her.

She wound her fingers into the belt loops of his jeans trying to get him closer still.

She _needed him to be closer._

No one had ever made her feel that way, he was moving his lips down her neck and humming against her skin. Rubbing his thumbs on her back in circles, she was trembling at the feeling, goose bumps erupting where his hands were, where his lips were, he was driving her crazy. She started reaching to get him closer to her, pulling at his arms. He came back up and kissed her again, this time sucking and biting her bottom lip, just a little. And then he leaned his forehead on hers, smiling a smile that went right up to his eyes.

"Holy Shit Daryl." She said laughing softly trying to catch her breath.

"Trust me?" He said in between breaths.

And she nodded slowly.

She trusted him, more than anyone else in this world.

She had wondered what kissing him would be like, and now she knew.

He helped her down off of the pool table and went in for another scorching kiss.

Then they went back out where everyone was at the table, by this time 23, by Jimmy Eat World was on.

"We're gonna take off." Daryl had said, he grabbed Carol's coat and helped her put it on. She made the rounds saying good bye to everyone and he did too. Took one last sip of her drink.

"Night." She said waving to everyone. Their friends said goon night back, Rick reminded them about their group project tomorrow and then they were leaving.

As they started to leave the table she heard Glenn say something like "You lost" to Eugene. Daryl took her hand and they walked to the dorm.

WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDDWDWDDWDWDDWD

He looked at her, not sure what to say. She was upset and he knew how she got when she got stressed out. He didn't want her to have a full blown panic attack. That happened to her sometimes, since her mother died and left her essentially an orphan. She hadn't had one in a long time that he knew of.

Daryl's father still walked this earth somewhere, but he felt like an orphan too, except he had Merle.

His mother had died a few years before Carol's, both of cancer. Carol had Merle too, she knew that, they were her family now.

Shit, did she think of him as a brother? He must have totally read her wrong last night, he thought. Was that what this was about, why she was upset? Buyers remorse? Maybe she wasn't into him that way and he'd fucked it all up because he couldn't control himself? But it was incredible last night, he didn't think he fucked up. Either way he was into her, he had been for as long as he could remember.

She responded to him like no one ever had before, he was so sure he hadn't been wrong about this.

He had never lied to her in his life and he wasn't going to start now. So she asked him what the fuck they were thinking, he answered her truthfully, in his unique style.

 _"Just put it all out there Darylina." He could almost hear Merle cackling. "Its about fuckin time."_

"Well, I dunno about you." He said running his hand through his hair. "But I was thinking last night was the luckiest night of my whole sorry life, I would have bought you Martinis and Jell-O shots years ago if I had known…."

A/N: I kind of changed this a lot as I was going along, so let me know what you think. I heart you all! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who follows, favorite and left reviews. I love you all. :)**

Carol put her hands on her hips and smacked his arm. She should be mad at him but she couldn't be, she knew he was trying to make her laugh. Trying to make her feel more comfortable, he was always like that with her.

 _Like an annoying older brother who teased you all the time. Like a best friend would do. This was so weird to her._

"You are such an asshole Daryl." But she was laughing as she said it and he was visibly relieved.

Good, he thought. She's laughing. That's a really good sign, if Carol was laughing that meant she was happy. Even if she was nervous or something, he could work on that he knew what made her tick.

"It was those jeans you had on, with the hole right here." He said.

He touched her leg mid-thigh where the hole would be, rubbed his finger around on her leg. He knew exactly where the hole would be, like he had studied it.

"I fuckin love those jeans. Can't barely concentrate when you wear them."

She didn't answer him, working this out in her head. They were her favorite jeans, old as dirt, faded with wear holes in both legs. He had seen her in them hundreds of times. He liked them apparently, noticed them specifically. She hadn't known that. She never thought it was like that with them. She had dreams about him and he noticed her. _He noticed her._

 _She was pretty sure the apocalypse was on its way._

"Are you sorry?" He looked over at her, took her face in his hands. "I'm not sorry Carol."

He kissed her softly, still holding he face in his hands so gently.

"I'm not, I just don't know, I think we. " She said.

"There's your first mistake, thinkin." He smiled that smile that was half grin, half smile, like the cat who just ate the canary, and touched her hair. Pushing a lock of it behind her ear. She held her breath because this was the side of him that was new to her. He had touched her through the years, hugged her even, but not like this.

He leaned over and kissed her neck, just below her ear, putting one arm on either side of her. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling. Thinking about the night before how he had worshiped every dip and curve to her body, what his hands felt like on her, he knew what he was doing that was for sure. He made her feel so good, she thought letting out a sigh. Then her eyes shot open.

"I have to go to class."

"Stop, thinkin." He said in that soft drawl he had, like whiskey, caramel and questionable decisions. He kissed up her neck slowly, biting softly. His hands moving up her legs. She sighed, it felt so good. But this was a bad idea, he was her best friend. But the things he was doing, with his mouth and his hands. She wasn't thinking of him as a friend right now. And obviously he wasn't thinking of her that way anymore. They could figure it out later, right now she wanted more.

She felt herself laying back down on the pillows. He was whispering in her ear, how he always wanted her, that he didn't have to be drunk, but that it loosened them both up just enough. She found herself agreeing with him and kissing him, raking her hands through his hair. Tugging at it a little because now she knew he liked it. She felt him shiver, goosebumps breaking out all across his skin, he let out something between a growl and a moan from deep in his chest. As she ran her nails lightly down his back.

Then the door burst open, actually Rick had used his key but they hadn't heard it.

"Hey man I'm sorry." He said covering his eyes

"You have the worst fucking timing." Daryl laid back rolling off of her, so that she was against the wall with the window and Rick couldn't see her. Daryl covered her anyway, with the sheet and himself.

"Need my Criminal Law book. Some of us are actually going to class today. "He laughed. "Hey Car."

"Hey Rick." She waved slightly, wanting to crawl under a rock somewhere.

Daryl reached down on the floor picked it up and threw it to him.

"Get out!"

Rick laughed. "You know, you would think you would be in a better mood. I'm the one who slept on Glenn and Eugene's floor last night." He said picking up the book.

"Fuck you Rick, get out." He threw a pillow at him.

"This gonna be a thing now?" Rick said chuckling. "You two?"

"OUT." Daryl sat up.

Rick walked out laughing, Daryl turned to her, so they were laying side by side looking at each other. His head up on his arm.

"Where were we?" He said smiling down at her.

"Daryl, doesn't this feel, I don't know, weird."

"We weren't that drunk, we knew what we were doing." He said. Rubbing her leg under the sheet.

"I know."

She sighed.

"And you're not sorry." She asked.

"Are you? "

"No just, surprised I guess."

"I meant it, everything I said, and I remember it all." He smiled devilishly at her. "Every little bit. You remember too, so we weren't that lit."

"I have to go to class Daryl. "She covered her eyes.

"No you don't, all you have today is Art History and I know you never cut, you already know that shit backwards and forwards, we gotta talk, I know you're trying to bail out on me, are you really freaking out about this?"

"Arent you?" She asked.

"Already told ya." He sat up a little and looked at her. "Luckiest night of my life."

"Oh please. "She laughed.

He moved down closer to her so his lips were close to her ear. She could feel his breath on her neck and it was doing something to her. Something she wasn't used to.

"That sounded way better when ya was saying it last night." He whispered into her ear and watched her whole face turn red, as she covered her face with her hands. She couldn't believe herself.

"Oh My God." She moaned in embarrassment.

"You said that too." He laughed as she started smacking him lightly on the arm. "And Oh God Daryl." He laughed. "That was my favorite."

"You're such a jerk." She huffed, but she wasn't mad, not really.

"Hit me again, I like it rough." He laughed moving away from her.

She sat up and crossed her arms in front of her. He moved closer to her and rubbed her arm.

"Hey, I'm just kidding around, you weren't the only one." He said softly. "Don't be embarrassed, sweetheart."

He called her sweetheart.

The only time he had ever called her that was the day her mother died and she was crying in his arms.

"Yeah, who would think you were such a shit talker in the sack." She rolled her eyes.

"Speak for yourself, for the rest of my life I'm gonna remember you telling me to fuck you harder."

She covered her head with a pillow, and laid back down so embarrassed. She was not like that, not with anyone ever, not that there were that many, but still? He made her that way. She totally lost her shit in bed with him, and that scared her. It scared the hell out of her.

"Hey, that was the best part, being that way with each other, ya know? It was, I don't even know, Carol. Wild, at Donovan's, then here, the best ever. "He said peeking under the pillow at her.

"My God, our mothers are probably rolling over in their graves. "Carol said.

"No, they're probably throwing a party up there." He pointed towards the ceiling.

"I doubt it."

"Our mothers would be calling the minister and a caterer right now, thinking their dreams had come true. Don't want to talk about them though, all I can think about is I know you aint got no cloths on under there. "He lifted up the sheet that covered her, whistling softly.

"You are not right, Dixon." She pulled the sheet over her legs.

"You just figuring that out." He smiled and went after the sheet again. "You know what a dirty fucker I am." He said.

"But it never had anything to do with me." She sighed.

He rolled back over so that he was between her legs and put his head up on his elbows. He moved around like he was trying to get comfortable but she knew he was just trying to drive her crazy.

It worked.

"This is much better, forget about Rick and his Bullshit." He rubbed against her again. She thought she was going to die right there.

He leaned down to kiss her. "Forget everything and everyone, but you and me."

"You really don't feel weird about all this?" She couldn't believe he was so normal with her. Like they hadn't fucked each other's brains out last night. And then again, sometime in the middle of the night too. "Not at all?"

"Not so weird that I don't want to do it again." He nuzzled her ear sending electric shocks through her body. She felt the hair on her skin stand up, it felt good, but petrifying at the same time. They were friends, they had seen each other through life, through the death of both their mothers, and so much other shit. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"Or that I don't wish we started doing this years ago. "He said.

He moved to her earlobe and she felt herself being pulled under, like she was drowning, not in water, but in him. Her whole body was tingling, like the night before when they were dancing. Like when they were in the back of the bar. It was a wonderful feeling. She had never been so excited by someone in her entire life.

But it was Him.

"It was fucking amazing and you know it." He whispered in her ear, why did he have to do that? It was doing things to her. He knew it too, fucking bastard, she thought.

He was right, she had only slept with two people ever in her life, well, now three. One in High School which sucked, and Ed here at school and that sucked too. Last night had not sucked and she couldn't wrap her head around that. She thought maybe because they trusted each other so much, they could be free of all that bullshit other couples had, be themselves, let go. They had let go alright.

Holy shit were they a couple now? She didn't even know. She didn't know if she even wanted that.

She was still freaked out that she had the dreams.

This was something else entirely.

Or were they friends with benefits, or fuckbuddies, like those two from her Creative Writing class, Abraham and Rosita. They were there last night too, who wasn't she wondered, might as well have everyone witness it. Carol Bergan did not get drunk and go home with men, even if they were her best friend. She would have to talk to Tara and Lori, why hadn't they stopped her? They were supposed to have her back. Then she started worrying that he didn't want something more than this with her. Or that he did.

She was afraid they couldn't go back now. They were never going to be the same.

They crossed a line.

"You're doing it." He said as he was kissing her neck, smiling into her skin.

"Doing what. "She rolled her eyes, trying to move away a little bit. Then he was sucking softly on her neck, right below her ear and then her collarbone and she stopped squirming. He smiled again, raked his teeth over her skin and ran his tongue over where he'd just nipped her. And she thought she felt her toes curl.

"Thinkin." He knew her so well it was scary, and now he knew how to drive her absolutely out of her mind, and she didn't know if she liked him having that knowledge or ability. She had totally given herself over to him, had done whatever he wanted and he had done whatever she wanted.

And she wanted to do it again.

"I know you're trying to get this all figured out in that pretty head of yours, stop, we don't have to figure it all out right now and I'm not done with you yet." He said kissing down her neck.

He moved against her and she could feel him hard against her leg, his hand fluttered across her rib cage, and his lips followed, going lower and then she did stop thinking. She forgot what she was even worrying about, because now he was licking her stomach. The last thing she remembered was him asking permission, or if she wanted him to stop and she had said don't stop. Don't ever stop.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Some talk of prior drug use. Dixon mouth, frank sexual talk. This is kind of a filler chapter to move along to other things, thanks for hanging in with me.**

 **Thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing :)**

Rick knocked on the door after Criminal Law and walked in to see Daryl laying on the bed fully dressed, his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling, tapping his foot on the foot board of his bed. He was not happy, he had a scowl on his face that stopped Rick dead in his tracks. The mood in the room was ornery at best. But really downright nasty.

"Where's Carol?" He said shutting the door.

"She went to get us coffee." Daryl replied, gruffly. "Said she's coming back."

"You don't believe her?"

"She didn't want me to go with her. Said she needed a minute." He grumbled. His voice clearly showing his agitation. "She's been gone half an hour."

"So." Rick shrugged, not getting why he was worried or whatever it was he was doing. "What's so bad about that? Maybe she ran into the girls or something."

"She tried to leave this morning while I was sleeping." Daryl looked over at him.

Rick laughed out loud, a full on belly laugh. His eyes lit up and he pointed at Daryl.

"What the fuck is so funny?" He said sitting up.

"She pulled your move on you." Rick continued to laugh pissing Daryl off.

"She tried the cut and run on you" Rick shook his head." You poor bastard, I always knew you liked her, hell everyone knows, except maybe her." He rubbed the back of his head." Well I guess now she knows."

"What's your point Grimes?" He practically growled.

"I just didn't know it was like this." He held his hands palms up, book still in hand.

"Like what?" Daryl barked.

There was a knock on the door, Rick raised his eyebrows and opened the door to Carol, who walked in with a travel tray from Dunkin Donuts. On it were two coffees and a box of munchkins.

"Hey Rick." She said.

"Hey Carol how's it going?"

"Ah ya know," She walked over and put the coffee on the nightstand. "Same old thing."

She laughed, so did Rick. She picked up one of the coffees and handed it to Daryl. He wasn't laughing, Rick noticed how he was watching her, following her every move.

"One black coffee, disgusting by the way, and a dozen all chocolate munchkins for your chocolate habit, want some Rick." She sat down in the chair by Daryl's desk, which was next to his bed. Holding up the munchkins. "All chocolate, cause you know how he is."

"Nahh, meeting Lori for lunch, just dropping off my book." He tossed it on his bed. "Thanks though."

He walked to the door, then turned back with his hand on the doorknob.

"See you guys later, don't forget we have that project to work on tonight, both of you come up for air by six, see you at the library."

He walked out laughing. Shutting the door behind him.

"He's such an asshole." Daryl said

"What? You didn't expect that, I did." She sat back in her chair. "There's gonna be a lot of that, get ready."

"Thanks for the munchkins that was nice." He pulled her and the chair closer to him. So that she was between his legs.

"I know you like them."

He nodded looking at her, thinking. He had busted her chops all day but, he wanted her to know he was serious about this. He couldn't have her running away every time they slept together. He intended to make this a regular thing.

He opened the box of munchkins. They were his favorite, she knew that, and had thought of him. That made him feel a little better. This day wasn't going the way he'd wanted it to, at all.

"Let's go out Friday night." He said to her, popping a munchkin in his mouth and taking a sip of coffee.

"What? Like a date?" She looked over at him sideways.

"Yeah like a date." He said. "Don't worry I won't put the moves on you."

He laughed and winked at her. He couldn't resist teasing her, it had always been so damn easy. She would think something was wrong if he wasn't teasing her.

"Yes you will don't start lying to me now." She laughed sipping her coffee.

"Ok probably." He shrugged.

"Oh you will, I know you. I've even seen you in action." She reached for a munchkin.

"Hey, it's different with you." He said softly, reaching for her hand.

She rolled her eyes.

"You're really giving me the it's different with you line?"

He took the coffee out of her hand and sat it on the table.

"Carol, we always tell each other everything, right?"

She nodded.

"Tell me why you're thinking all this stuff and why you're so skittish with me this morning, this aint us."

She swallowed trying to think of what to say that wouldn't hurt his feelings. She couldn't put it into words exactly. No matter what she said it wouldn't be right, she didn't want to hurt him, but she couldn't shake this feeling. They slept together, people did it every day right? She was making too much out of it she was sure. But she didn't know how to feel now. What to do with the things she did feel. And her head was a jumble with thoughts that she couldn't describe.

She was having trouble catching her breath every time she looked at him.

Half the time she couldn't even look at him because of the feelings she was having.

And that was why she wouldn't take him with her for the coffee. She had wanted to catch her breath. Just get away for a few minutes to think.

That really didn't help.

"You know you can say anything to me, no judgement like always." He rubbed his hands up her legs back and forth gently. "Please tell me, did I do something wrong? Scare you?"

"No you didn't scare me." She looked at him." I would never be scared of you."

"Ok good." He said, rubbing her leg lightly.

She didn't know how to say this.

"I don't like the way I feel around you now."

He looked up at her, his face dropped like a stone. He sat back, taking his hands off her, trying to shake it off before he spoke. Because that had hurt, especially coming from her.

"I make you uncomfortable?" He swallowed. "I'm sorry, I..."

"No, no!" She took his hands in hers. "I didn't mean it like that, fuck, it's not that I don't like it, it's weird, but not that kind of weird."

She looked up at him. "I feel like I smoked one of Merles joints, like I'm stoned or something."

She wasn't telling him it happened every time she looked at him now. She was twenty years old, way too old to be crushing on someone like this. If that's what it was, she wasn't even sure. This wasn't high school though, she needed to get a grip.

"Carol," He put his hands on her shoulders, looking at her smiling." That's a good feeling, I mean we don't get high anymore, right? You aint been smoking Merles pot? I know I haven't."

She shook her head smiling and giving a little laugh.

"This feeling, that you have its good?" He said. "Feels good, just different?"

She nodded. "Too good."

"Didn't you pay attention in Health class or Biology, whatever the fuck that class was in tenth grade we were in, that's endorphins, from…you know" He nodded his head towards the bed a few times, and moved his eyes in the same direction.

"Oh." She said.

She looked at him, was that really it? Why her head was all mushed up and she felt lightheaded? Why her heart was up in her throat now? Endorphins and pheromones, she hadn't thought of that. Why would she? Being around him never did that before, except when she had the dream. But she usually avoided him after she had the dream. For a day at least, she had to, it was so hard to look at him and pretend her subconscious wasn't a porno starring him. She never felt like this after she slept with Ed that's for sure.

Well, he was the science major, not her. So he knew about all this stuff, she was a creative writing/journalism major. No science there at all. She was clueless.

He turned his head back and looked at her. Something came over his face, he looked like he had the answer to the double jeopardy question and daily double at the same time.

"That douchebag never made you come?" He nodded his head, he had the answer now.

She shook her head blushing so much that she felt her body temperature going up. She looked down at her hands. She didn't want to look at him, having these kinds of conversations with him was unnerving.

"What an asshole." He chuckled and she smiled shyly. "That's the best part."

He pulled her chin up and looked right into her eyes.

"That's my favorite part Carol." He said drawing the words out.

He wouldn't let her look away. Her face was burning, and her heart was pounding in her chest.

"Then we have a lot of making up to do." He whispered. "Aint nothing better in this whole world. You're so beautiful when you come."

And then he kissed her softly.

"This is gonna be fun. I promise." He said.

"I don't need you for that, I can do it myself if I want that." She said quickly, stuttering, he had totally thrown her off by what he just said. "That didn't come out like I wanted." She looked down shaking her head. "I didn't mean, dammit, I don't know what I meant."

He laughed.

"Just break up with B.O.B." He said.

"B.O.B?"

"Yeah, you know Battery Operated Boyfriend. " He said

She laughed full on, like he hadn't heard her laugh in a long time. For a few months, he was happy it was him that made her laugh like that.

"There is no B.O.B." She said in between laughing.

"Sure there isn't." he laughed. "B.O.B has to go, it's my job now, and I love my job." He took her hands and kissed her fingertips looking up at her through his bangs. He was adorable, but dangerous, very, very dangerous.

He totally owned her when they were in bed. And worse he knew it.

"Oh my God again with the sweet-talk. I'm gonna barf." She said.  
He shook his head.

"Not sweet-talk, you need to know." He moved closer to her." It's on, and I want you, only you. I'll chase you if I have to."

He put his forehead to hers, so he could see into her eyes. It was on, it had been on from the minute they touched last night.

"Can I ask you something?" She said.

"Yup, that's what we're doing here, havin a discussion, ask me whatever you want." He replied.

"Don't you want to ask me anything?"

"Nope I know everything, I want to right now, what I don't know I'll find out along the way."

She sat back and looked at him.

"Be honest ok," She asked. He nodded, of course he would be honest with her, he always was. "Did you ever think about this, I mean us, like this?"

"Every day since I was like 12." He replied.

He laughed. She did too, but she was kind of shocked by this information.

"You said be honest, I'm a guy it's what we do." He said.

"I know, you told me about the biology." She said. "But why didn't you tell me."

"Carol it would take me years to explain that to you."

"I've got time."

"Listen, I knew it wasn't the time and maybe never would be, that was ok. Having you in my life was, is, everything. If you didn't feel that way, and I never got any signs you did. So it was ok. Well, not ok, I dealt with it, and I always shut it down, one way or the other." He took a sip of his coffee, not looking at her. Suddenly enamored with whatever was in the parking lot out the window below them.

"I'm not gonna ask."

"Yeah don't." He laughed. "You are more important than a casual fuck." He ran his hand through his hair. "This isn't coming out how I have it in my head. It sounded better in there. "

"No I understand, you didn't want to ruin our friendship. I felt the same way." She said.

"Yeah exactly."

She reached for her coffee and took a sip.

"Me too." She said softly, so soft he almost didn't hear her. "I have these dreams sometimes, been having them as long as I can remember. Always about you, and I wake up feeling like I have a fever. I have to deal with it. You know? Maybe there was a B.O.B."

 _She couldn't believe she just said that to him. He was the only person she could ever say some thing like that to._

She looked right at him, she wouldn't look away, not this time. It was time to stop being so embarrassed. No one in this world knew her like he did, or cared about her like he did, she knew that. She was safe with him. There was nothing wrong with great sex, between two people who genuinely liked, maybe loved each other. Probably did. She was going to stop being uncomfortable with him. She was going to shock him a little, for a change.

"Fuck Carol, I can't un hear that you know, my God, now I'm gonna be thinking about it." He laid back on the bed. "All fucking day."

She laughed. "I know cause you're a guy and that's what you do, right?"

"Yeah, damn, maybe you shouldn't have told me that part." He said and sat up a little on his elbows.

"Nope, full disclosure, you've seen me naked now." She replied.

"Uh." He swallowed. "That's not helping."

"What?" She said pulling her shirt over her head, she hadn't bothered with a bra, and she saw his eyes go dark. His pupils blown wide now. "Don't you wanna tell Merle you finally saw my tits?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five. Proof

 **A/N: I swear they are getting out of his room. This chapter covers more things they needed to talk about and a little of their back story. Warning for Language and talk of prior drug use.**

 **I do not own The Walking Dead but I wish I did.**

Later they sat Indian style across from each other on the bed, there was an ashtray and a water bottle between them. She had on a black tank top that was his and her underwear on. He was in his boxers and no shirt. He was smoking a cigarette and she reached for it.

They had opened the window, because this was a no smoking dorm. He was friends with Tyreese and Milton but he didn't want to push his luck. Plus the RA Sasha, Ty's sister was not a rule breaker. She had eyes in the back of her head and could spot you fucking up a mile away. So when he smoked he blew it out the window, hoping no one in the parking lot noticed. He saw Bob down in the parking lot smoking sometimes when he was doing that, Sasha was his girlfriend and even he didn't even risk smoking in the dorms.

"You don't smoke." He said.

"Humor me, will ya." She looked up at him.

"Ha." He handed her the cigarette and she took a drag.

"What? It's been a long night" She looked down shaking her head and them both laughed.

"You need a smoke after, damn." He smiled, nodding his head.

"Shut up you cocky fuck." She laughed harder and swatted at his leg.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't think I'm gonna be able to keep my hands off you ever again." He looked up and her. His eyes big and soft. "Not even kidding. It's bad. I knew it would be."

He shook his head.

"Ed better stay away or he and I are gonna have a big problem." He said.

"Why don't you just piss on my leg?" She laughed.

"If I have to." He shrugged.

"Charming." She took a drag of the cigarette." and you're so possessive, what about your two floozies, how are they gonna like this new thing. Whatever it is?"

"Told ya last night I'm done with them, been done a while now."

"Can I ask you something else?" She brought her hand to her face to stifle a giggle.

"Ya know you can, and no I never fucked them both at the same time." He smiled laughing.

"That's not what Amy said, I'm not judging okay, we don't judge each other, just asking."

"She made that up, something to do with the sorority they were pledging. I just had the bad luck of knowing both of them while they were pledging. I'm an innocent bystander." He laughed as she rolled her eyes." Go ahead roll your eyes all you want. Those two are really wacked though. But whatever we were all over 21." He shrugged.

"Don't they do volunteer work and sew pillows anymore like back in the day, never mind." She put her hand up. "I knew there was a reason I didn't pledge, now I know."

Then her eyes got big and wide. "Oh my God we didn't use condoms." She covered her face.

"You're on the pill." He shrugged like it was no big deal. "And I always used them before, so you don't gotta worry, I won't be giving you the clap, that's Merle's gig not mine."

"See this is what is freaking me out, you knew I was on the pill, you know my class schedule. I forgot about protection. But I know about Merle's clap. Now you want me to dump B.O.B. "She laughed. Then she turned to look at him dead on. "Look, I'm not getting into any weird three way things with you. Just so you know right from the jump."

"Wouldn't it be a four way? You know the blonde, the brunette, you're the red head and me." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "That's not a bad Idea..."

"Fuck you Daryl." She laughed.

"I think you just did. More than once," He watched her face go red again and her eyes grow large but her knew she was exaggerating her response for effect." Superbly too."

"I know I walked into that one." She took a drag from the cigarette.

He nodded. "Ya did."

She handed the cigarette back to him.

"I'm done with them, like you're done with that asshole jock." He said simply.

He moved to sit against the wall and motioned her to sit with her back to him between his legs, they still had the ashtray next to them.

"I'm sorry I've been teasing you all day, I don't mean anything by it."

"Me either." She laughed. "It's ok that's us. It's us. I don't want things to change with us."

He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned back against him. He put his knees up and hugged her to him, kissing her head. She was blown away by that sweet gesture, but she had more questions, she was a Journalism Major, that's what she did, ask questions. She had always been that way.

"Remember after graduation when we drove up to the beach in Savannah. With Merle, Lisa Winters, Maggie and Glenn." He leaned his chin on her head lightly.

"Yeah." She said. "We were the only ones that left the hotel and even went to the beach. We had a good time though, just us."

"Yup, wanna have a lot more with you. "He nodded.

"Why?"

"Why what? Why do I want to be with you?" He asked.

"Why are you done with Amy and Karen?"

"Nothing up here." He pointed to his temple. "Neither one of them."

"So nothing to talk about?" She eyed him sideways. "Boring? Nothing to do?"

"I like talkin, to some people." He wound his hands around hers and squeezed her again. "Like you. Have always liked talking to you. We been talking all day, mostly."

She nodded her head.

"They didn't care either, it was just something to do, anyways." He said.

She looked back at him.

"Like this."

"No, not like this smartass, you're the only girl ever that I slept next to, woke up with."

"Oh bullshit." She looked back at him.

"No bullshit, when my Mom used to babysit you and we fell asleep watching South Park every night, Prom Night and last night, you're the only one." He said. "Always wanted to get the fuck away after. Cut and run." He said wistfully looking out the window, like it just occurred to him.

 _It also occurred to him that now, he was doing everything so that she would not leave him._

She turned around to face him, sitting back on her knees so they were face to face.

"How many girls have you slept with, for real?"

"You know about all of them, Karen and Amy, Not at the same time." He laughed." Jenny, Carleen, Tonya, Christine, Joanna and Stacey."

"Barbara Crowley and Claudia whatsername."

"Right, forgot them, you know them all. No skanks and I always used condoms I swear. I'm clean." He said. "You know I get tested, I know you got tested, remember that nurse thought we we're together that one time."

"Yeah I've been holding your hand for needles and shots longer than I remember, that's really great that you suck it up for your health. Now mine, thanks bro." She looked back at him." I made Ed go too, alone." She snickered. "He was not happy. Don't you think we should have had this conversation last night?"

"Probably, but we know everything about each other already and we kinda lost our minds ya know?" He said, smiling at her. "But we're having it now. So let's get it all out no secrets, no bullshit."

"Okay, not judging at all, but Tonya, who worked at the Dairy Queen on 95, ew Daryl, just ew? I never understood that."

"Once okay? It's a long story, anyway look who's talking Sean, Daniel and Ed, bunch of losers." He said.

"Not Sean, we didn't, that's how you ended up my ride home on Prom Night, remember. He found out I wasn't putting out and left me there."

"Yeah, I remember, Claudia never spoke to me again, boy was she pissed, when I dropped her off first. But it was fine, we had a good time didn't we?" He said.

"We were drunk that night too, and high, if I remember right, but we managed not to attack each other." She said solemnly. "I remember we woke up in the bed of your pickup truck the next morning."

"This is not cause we were drunk, cause we weren't that drunk, Carol. We've been way drunker before, high too." He said rubbing her arm. "Plenty of times."

She nodded, that was true, back in the day they did way more drinking in a night than they had done last night. Plus they were in Merle's pot stash too a lot in those days. They had for sure been more trashed together before last night. Last night was nothing really.

" You're the longest relationship of my life, 'sides Merle." He pulled her onto his lap, she rose up on her knees. He held her up against him, his head against her stomach, and sighed. "And the most important."

He thought about all the times he tried to tell her. Before she left for school they had gone out somewhere he didn't remember where, and he was going to tell her. He even knew exactly what he was going to say. But he chickened out, she was so happy to be going to school like her mother always wanted her to. He couldn't dump his feelings on her. He didn't want her to feel pressured about anything. So he didn't tell her. She went to school and he kept quiet.

When he had first got to school, he told himself every night, _tomorrow, I'll tell her tomorrow_. But then he never could, tomorrow never came, and then she met Ed.

"I don't wanna fuck it up, I like this." He said.

"Exactly, I feel that way too, you are so important to me, don't you think this?" She waved her arm around. "Might fuck up our friendship."

"I'll always be your friend, no matter what. If you decide you don't want this, I won't like it but I'll accept it and it won't change a thing. "He looked in her eyes. "I swear."

"This is the most fucked up conversation we have ever had." She said.

He lit another cigarette offered her the pack, and she took one. He lit it for her and spoke with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. She had always thought that was so sexy, which led her to stare at the mole on his lip. She shook her head of the thoughts she was having, because now she wanted to kiss him there. She had thought about him this way throughout the years, sometimes, she was coming to realize that. She had pushed those feelings down though, because of how she felt now. She knew how it would be.

Which was why it probably started coming at her in her dreams.

She felt consumed with him, engulfed, he was all around her. Somehow she had known if they were ever more than friends, it would be like nothing she ever imagined in her life. Too much and not enough all at the same time.

"This is not the most fucked up conversation we have ever had, that would be the time we were drinking with Merle, remember that?" Daryl said.

"The time he offered me fifty dollars and a joint to take off my shirt?" She sipped the water bottle and took a drag off her cigarette.

"No, but that was fucked up too, I didn't talk to him for six days cause of that." He took another drag on his cigarette.

"He was just being Merle, I would never do it and you stole that joint later anyway. I wasn't upset." Carol said.

"Still it was disrespectful." He said. "He never said shit to you like that after either."

"Well, thanks Daryl for saving my virtue."

She laughed. The irony of this was not lost on her either.

She had just taken her shirt off for a cup of coffee and some donut holes.

"No the most fucked up conversation we ever had was the time he asked which celebrity you wanted to fuck and you said Rooney Mara, and he spit out his beer across the room" He laughed. "That was awesome by the way." He shook his head. "You never let Merle get to you, he asked a fucked up question and you gave him a just as fucked up answer. He likes you a lot."

"I like him too, remember what you said? Good choice, after you nearly choked on your beer," She smiled, remembering how easy that had been to mess with them. She laughed. "I said that to freak him out, it's really, Charlie Hunnam."

"Pfft whatever, you know Merle is gonna laugh his ass off about this? When I came here after you left, he said and I quote; 'Oh your little girlfriend hasn't even been gone a month and you're following her to school. That didn't take long.' But he sold the Mustang for my tuition balance after the scholarship, didn't even have to ask him."

Actually Merle also had called him a mopy bitch and told him to get on to that school and get that piece of tail he couldn't seem to live without. Daryl left that part out.

"No I didn't know that, he's a good brother. He's alright." She smiled.

"He feels the same about you." He said. "That's why he teases you."

He took another drag of his cigarette, so did she.

"According to him it was never a matter of if, it was when, and I should just get you out of my system, once and for all." He laughed softly.

"The world according to Merle." She laughed. "Got to love his logic. Now I kind of miss him."

She took a drag off her cigarette inhaling deeply. Then put it out.

"Have you? "Carol asked.

She looked at him, her eyes soft, not knowing what she wanted the answer to be. Maybe this wasn't a good question to ask when she was sitting on his lap, but this was not a usual morning, not by a long shot.

"Have I what?" He looked back at her, putting out his cigarette.

"Gotten it, me, out of your system,"

"Fuck, no."

He swooped down and before she knew it she was back lying flat on her back. He was back on top of her.

"How do you keep getting me on my back?" She laughed.

"Cause, I got mad skills."

"Yeah, I know."

"Oh so you admit it in the daylight, that's good, the first step is the hardest. That's what Merle says they say at those meetings he goes to." He kissed her. "You're powerless."

"Ha funny."

"Are you ok, for real, you aren't going to get upset and go hide somewhere are you? Because I can't have you hiding from me. I'm the one you always run to."

And he was right she did run to him when she had a problem, or was happy about something, he was her person. That made him feel so good about himself, someone needed him, someone cared and wanted his company, because of who he was, no other reason. But somewhere it had changed from friendship to something else. And he had missed her when she was gone. He did follow her to school, because life without her had gotten very empty very fast.

Claudia his prom date was the first one to actually say it to him, two days after their Junior Prom, when she broke it off with him. He and Carol were seventeen at the time. Claudia said couldn't believe she wasted eight months with him, when he and Carol were in love with each other and too stupid to do anything about it. That knocked the wind out of him at the time. Because he had dated lots of girls, but that day was when he realized they were a poor substitution for what he really wanted. It took him a long time to get here.

Five years, almost six of knowing he loved her and thinking he could never have her that way. He had been sure he was friend zoned long ago. He never imagined he had a chance.

"I'm not gonna hide."

"Good cause I'm not gonna let you."

"I do have to go get my books and change for tonight though."

"Ok, get going, I'll see you at six."

He stood up and pulled her up by the hand and into a hug. He breathed deeply his face in her hair, she smelled so good and he knew he was in deeper now than ever before.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who follows, favorites and reviews. It makes my day.**

 **So guess what, they're out of the room, I told you eventually they would be.**

Carol opened the door to her dorm room later that day. Her two roommates Lori and Tara were laying on their beds studying.

Their room was also adorned with posters. Over Carol's bed was a poster of some TV show she liked, Tara's wall had Star Trek and Lori's had Magic Mike. For a dorm room with three girls in it there wasn't much mess. Tara and Lori were great roommates, they had met freshman year, this year they were roommates. It was working out well.

"Hmmm walk of shame at, what time is it Tara, 2:45 pm on a Tuesday?" Lori said looking at the wall clock.

She leaned against the door and groaned.

"Heard you tried to dip out on Daryl, while he was sleeping." Tara said. Closing her book and sitting up.

"Oh for God's sake, isn't anything sacred around here?" Carol cried.

She flopped on her bed and covered her head with her blanket.

"Nope, nothing is sacred, Tara wanted to play "I just had sex" when you walked in, be thankful. I put the kibosh on that, Akon almost outed you to the whole dorm" Lori said.

"You missed Art History." Tara said, laughing. "I'm sure you had a better time than us though."

"Rick has a big mouth." She said to Lori.

"Yes he does, but all the same, Daryl told Rick you tried to run." Lori replied. "That's usually what the guy does."

Tara came over and laid down next to her and Lori followed. There wasn't a lot of room but they all laid next to each other. These were her two best friends, she knew she could talk to them. But first she needed to know why they didn't stop her.

"What happened to the pact guys? We aren't supposed to let each other go home with anyone." She asked.

"No." Tara said. "We aren't supposed to let each other go home with strangers, that was Daryl, we were all glad he was finally getting out of the minors." Tara laughed. "He asked you to dance and we were all like 'it's going down."

"Thanks Tara." Carol shook her head. "As usual your wit is both sharp and offensive."

She hugged her friends, on each side of her.

"What am I going to do?"

"I didn't think you'd be this upset. It's Daryl." Lori asked. "You know him."

"That's why I'm so upset, he's my best friend, and I don't know how to do this."

"He followed you here, ever wonder why?" Tara said. "We all saw this coming a mile away."

"He got a scholarship..." Her voice trailed off, he had told her different just that morning, in his roundabout way.

Well not different, just the parts she hadn't known. Like Merle selling his car for Daryl to go to school, like when Merle called her Daryl's girlfriend.

'Whatever," Tara rolled her eyes. "All I know and you'll agree Lor, she gets here last fall, and he shows up halfway through the semester, what was it second week in October? Late admission to the biggest earth science program in the state. Strings had to have been pulled. Then he moves into the same dorm, one floor down, and we've been watching you two eye fuck each other for a year and a half."

Lori nodded vigorously.

"We don't do that." She sat up looking at them. "And he transferred from Community."

"Whatever." Tara waved her hand.

"He never stops watching you, and you never stop watching him. Are you sure nothing ever happened back home." Lori said.

"No. Never." she sat up. "I'm blown away."

"I sure hope so." Tara said laughing.

Carol smacked her arm lightly, she wasn't really mad, she had expected her friends to bust her about this, and she was prepared.

"He looks at you like he wants to eat you for dinner, how could you not ever notice." Lori said, "Rick doesn't even look at me like that."

"No that would be Shane Walsh. " Tara said. "Looking at you like that."

"Well, he can forget it, that's not happening." Lori said. "He's too creepy for words."

"You were too busy looking at him, that's how, Carol" Tara said. "Trying not to be obvious, it's a lot of work, so I can see how you didn't notice him looking at you, but we all did."

Carol laid down. Thinking about it all now, she knew they were right. But that didn't make it any easier to handle. At least she wasn't feeling like she wanted to run so much now. Not that much anyway.

"Well, I gotta let you know Maggie won the pool, she said breaking up with Ed was gonna make Daryl step up to the plate." Lori said. "She's two hundred bucks richer now."

"We were gonna start a side bet last night, but it was pretty obvious it was going down, you two were all over each other, so we scrapped that idea." Tara said, laughing. "Maggie told Glenn to suck it too, she's keeping all the money, and going for a spa day, which I find hilarious because this was Glenn's idea, she cut him right out of the action."

"Really? There was a bet." Carol said, sitting back up. "My life was the subject of a bet? With Glenn as the instigator? I introduced him to all of you!"

"Yeah, what can I say? But you had to name the circumstances, ya know, to keep it interesting." Tara said. "Maggie won, you dumped Ed last week, so it counted."

"Eugene thought it was gonna be at the spring fling if you wore your red dress, with the black heels. He didn't leave your side last time you wore it. Homecoming wasn't it? Remember how pissed Ed was?" Lori said. "Are you really that blind?"

Carol groaned "What is this a game of clue? Carol in the red dress at the spring fling?"

Just then Andrea and Michhone walked in from their room across the hall. Holding potato chips, pretzels, dip and a six pack of soda. They had met this year when Andrea and Michonne moved into the room across the hall. The five of them, plus Maggie and Rosita were a tight group of girls, who had each other's backs.

"Told ya she was back, spill it Bergan." Andrea said. "And I mean details. Details."

They bounced on the bed. And sat at the foot of it the other girls sat up also, opposite them. The chips and soda were opened and they settled in to get the details. All five of them on Carol's bed. Tara, Lori and Carol at one end, Michonne and Andrea on the other. Their legs stretched out in front of them.

"Was it the best night of your life, it sure looked like it was going that way." Michonne said.

"Um yeah." Andrea said "It looked like you two were gonna rip off each other's cloths right there on the dance floor, I needed a glass of ice water after that."

"You make it sound like we were obscene." Carol said incredulously.

"No it wasn't obscene, just, I dunno." Tara said. "Like no one else was in the room, even before you started dancing, like you had just noticed each other."

"Yup. I agree" Andrea said eating a chip. "Did you get my text?"

"Yeah." Carol groaned.

"What was the text? Michonne asked.

Andrea put up the thumbs up sign.

"No, what was the text." Michonne said.

"This, thumbs up." She did it again. "I approved."

"Andrea has approved this mess." Carol said. Blowing the hair out of her face.

"I just want to know if you all are going to do it again." Tara said.

Carol pulled her blanket over her head, "We already did…twice."

The room erupted in laughter. Of course she was going to do it again. She wasn't stupid. Embarrassed and mortified, but not enough to let it stop her.

"I was so embarrassed, I almost couldn't look at him."

"It was a long time coming according to Glenn and Maggie, they said in High School Daryl used to scare off all your dates." Lori said.

"It wasn't like that." Carol said. "We only have ever been friends."

'Yeah it was just suddenly a good idea now…after how many years….twice." Michonne deadpanned and they all laughed again.

"Well, twice this morning." She egged them on.

"Holy crap, I should be so lucky." Lori said. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Look, I just have to know how was it, I bet it was fanfuckingtastic, because do you ever notice how he walks?" Andrea started.

"What are you talking about?" Lori asked.

"He has dick confidence, you can tell by the way he walks." Andrea continued. "Don't pretend you never noticed, Carol, because you can't miss it, right guys?"

"He does have a walk." Lori admitted. Michonne shrugged, nodding her head slightly.

"Don't look at me." Tara said. "Not my wheelhouse."

"Well, Andrea, as a matter of fact I have noticed, I've been watching him walk all my life." Carol said kind of pissed off, she hadn't known her friends were checking him out. "What the fuck is dick confidence?"

"Think about it." Michhone said, raising her eye brows. "And by now you know all about that."

Carol narrowed her eyes at them. Grabbing for the potato chips, she was hungry.

"Hey listen, I may notice, but everyone knows he's yours, from day one that was never a question." Andrea said.

"Why are you all saying that, I was with Ed and Daryl's gone out with lots of girls here and back home, and had that whatever with Karen and Amy?" She asked. "That's not mine."

"Yeah it is, he may have been with them, but he's yours." Michonne said "But we aren't here to go over that again, he followed you here after one month away from you, that's pretty obvious. Let's not beat that dead horse anymore. I just want to know you got your world rocked last night."

"It was look at her, she looks like she finally got laid properly." Lori said.

"What? I don't look different." Carol said.

Tara leaned over.

"Actually you do." She pointed to her forehead, between her eyes. "You don't have that tense look in your eyes anymore and your V is gone."

"What V." She said annoyed.

"The V for vexed crinkle you had right here." Tara said drawing the V between her eyes just above her nose.

"Ha, he ironed that right out for you." Andrea said.

Carol sighed. "I can still feel his hands all over me."

"Oh, that good huh?" Lori said.

"What the fuck am I gonna do now. "She sighed. "He wants to take me to the movies Friday night."

"So what's your problem, haven't you seen like two thousand movies with him?" Andrea asked.

"I don't know, suddenly I'm worried about what to wear and how my hair is. It was never like that with us, now it's all different."

"Yeah, that's a huge pain in the ass." Andrea said. "But we're going to help you."


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N: Ok I am not a dude, I have no idea how they would talk to each other, but I did my best. This is a shorter chapter but I wanted to give the guys their own chapter, like I did the girls_**

 **** ** _Be gentle guys._**

 ** _I do not own it._**

 ** _Thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, follows and favorites. I heart you all._**

Rick busted into the room for the third time that day. This time he didn't knock because he knew Daryl either wasn't there or was alone. Lori had texted him about Carol being back in their room, so he knew it was safe to go back. Finally, he had showered that morning and put on his cloths from the night before, he didn't even have underwear on right now. They were going to have to come up with some ground rules. Daryl never brought a girl to the room before, so this time was a pass. They needed to figure it out fast though, because Rick was not walking around with his boxers in his back pocket ever again.

Daryl had just taken a shower and was standing there in the middle of the room in his jeans. His shirt was on but unbuttoned. Rick sat his books on the chair and sat up on the desk. Daryl turned around to him, his eyes meeting Rick's merry gaze.

"What?" Daryl said.

"You missed all your classes today."

Daryl started buttoning his shirt turning to Rick. _Here we go. He rolled his eyes._

"What are you my father?"

"Nope, and don't think I didn't see that hickey on your stomach either." Rick laughed. "What are you thirteen?"

"Jealous Rick?" He arched his eyebrows.

He hadn't seen it, but he sure remembered what was going on at the time. For someone as inexperienced as Carol was, she was a fast study, or she had been reading, a lot. Either way he was a happy guy. A grinning happy fool was what he was right now.

Not every guy got the girl of his dreams for his very own. He knew that.

He felt his stomach flip as he thought about her, about her mouth on his stomach. Then where she went after that. He felt goose bumps erupting on his skin and just the thought of it.

Wrong place, wrong time, time to shut it down. He turned to Rick

"You got a point or something or are you just gonna hassle me." He said.

"Just hassling, paybacks for you and Glenn giving me shit all the time." Rick said. "It's good to give it out for once."

"Whatever, what's this project about anyway?" Daryl asked sure that he had been roped into something nuts by his friends again. Last semester they had all worked in a food kitchen as volunteers, he had liked doing that. He actually was going to ask Carol if she wanted to do it again. But with this group you never knew. Andrea once suggested the guys strip in a local club for charity. Daryl had nothing against charity, but he wasn't stripping in public, no way.

"We all signed up to do freshman orientation, remember?" Rick said.

Daryl nodded, relieved, he did remember now, this was a tame project, thank god.

He remembered Carol and Andrea had talked him into it. They would all be staying on campus this summer. He had only joined the team because Carol was, she had no home to go for the summer. He wouldn't leave her on campus alone. She was too important to him. Merle had said she could come home with them for the summer, but Daryl didn't think she would want to. Not for any reason other than she wouldn't want to impose. She didn't like taking anything from others, she never did. He knew this about her. She shouldn't feel that way though it was just him and Merle. They both loved her, albeit in different ways.

Merle was going to give him ten pounds of shit more than Rick Grimes could even think of. He wasn't looking forward to that. He'd give it to Carol too, Merle didn't play favorites with his bullshit when he was dishing it out. They both were gonna get it when Merle found out, because Merle had predicted it and he would never let Daryl live it down.

"Yeah, I know."

"We have to plan out some sort of get to know you activity, for them to break the ice with each other, they start coming the last week in May." Rick said opening his notebook.

"Great, Carol and Andrea can do that part." Daryl said.

There was a knock on the door, Rick reached over and opened the door to Glenn and behind him Eugene and Shane. What was this a party? Daryl thought as they all filed in.

"Dude, we didn't think we'd see you the rest of the day." Glenn said laughing.

"Well you wouldn't have but my parole officer here wouldn't let me out of this project." Daryl waved his hand pointing at Rick.

Glenn sat down on one of the beds and Shane leaned against the door. Eugen sat down on the opposite bed from Glenn.

"Maggie said we wouldn't see you two till the weekend." Glenn snickered.

Daryl just shot him a look. "It's Tuesday, dumbass."

"What your point, word is around is…." Glenn said.

"You fucked her four times in fifteen hours." Shane said from the sidelines. "Which is just great that our girls know about it, thanks bro, it's not a competition you know."

Daryl shook his head. "Who told you that?"

"Maggie told Glenn and she heard it from Rosita Espinoza. " Glenn said. "She's all the way over in D dorm."

"Who the fuck told her?" Daryl said incredulously.

He could not believe it was through two dorms in forty five minutes. Girls always thought guys talked too much, but it was them. He knew Carol would tell Lori and Tara, they were her best friends, but he hadn't expected the whole campus to know about it. That meant Andrea, sister of Amy, knew. Amy was the voice of America, she could always be counted on to alert the media about everyone's business. That was one of the many reasons he wasn't seeing her anymore. She couldn't keep her yap shut to save her life and she lied. Daryl was a lot of things, but what Amy had said about him, Karen and her, that was a big lie.

"They say women gossip 75% more than men, and 85% more if it's of a sexual nature." Eugene said, from his place on Daryl's unmade bed. He looked down, made a face, and pulled the comforter over and then sat back down on it. Like he had just thought about what had been going on there in the last few hours.

"Well, aint that just great." Daryl said.

"I believe it, I know damn well Carol and Tara know every detail of my life with Lori. I have no doubt." Rick said.

"Well, that's really some bullshit." Daryl said putting on his boots.

"What do you care, it makes you look good." Glenn said.

"How about I don't wanna look good, ever think of that." He said.

"Since when, you are so full of shit..." Glenn started to say, then he saw the look of total unbridled anger on Daryl's face.

"It's because it's her isn't it." Shane said from his spot holding up the door.

"You're damn right, you don't get to look at her, talk about her, none of you, don't even think of her." He said sharply.

Rick's phone buzzed, he took it out and looked at it.

"Ok they're ready, we have to go to the student center first apparently Carol's hungry, guess you guys only ate the donuts?"

"Shut up Rick."

Daryl said, but he was laughing. He wasn't angry, he just didn't get how this got around so fast, and he sure didn't understand women as well as he thought.


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. It's kind of a filler. Hope you like._**

 ** _As always thank you for reading, reviewing, following and favorites. It makes my day. My week. My year. My life._**

 ** _This is a little dirty by the way. Just a friendly warning._**

Daryl didn't know what to do when he walked into the student center with Rick, Shane, and Glenn. It was so stupid. All the guys would kiss their girls and he just told all of them that she was his girl, but this would be the very first time he kissed her in front of anyone. He was nervous about it.

He still wasn't one hundred percent sure she wasn't going to get spooked and take off. He was pretty sure she wouldn't, but you never know. Especially with Carol, she could keep him on his toes even when he wasn't trying to get her in bed. Now it was going to be even worse.

So they walked to the table where the girls sat with Sasha Williams and Bob Stokey who were on the orientation team also. Carol surprised him right away by standing up and giving him a hug, which she did sometimes, that wasn't new. Then she kissed him sweetly, did they make some kind of bet?

"I have good news." She said.

Then she kissed him again, he was so confused, 3.4 GPA or not this girl had him all twisted up all of the sudden. Your GPA didn't mean shit when it came to figuring out women.

"Tara is going to Alisha's tonight and Lori wants Rick to stay with her, so I'm all yours again."

She said sitting down happily, like it was nothing, no big deal. She said it in front of Bob and Sasha, who they really didn't know that well. He sat down slowly thinking he was in the twilight zone or something.

"Ah. Ok Great." He said looking at Rick, who as usual was no help. He just shrugged, like he was saying. Get used to it dude.

"We don't have classes tomorrow either and I don't have to be at the library until four."

Yeah this was the twilight zone alright, he had landed right into it. Andrea looked over at him and winked.

"Don't worry Daryl, no one is coming knocking tomorrow." Andrea said.

Tara and Maggie came over with trays of food followed by Michonne who had a tray of drinks.

"I had a bunch of extra swipes on my meal card so eat up everyone." Michonne said sitting down with the drinks as Maggie walked over and sat down next to Glenn.

Lori leaned over to Carol and whispered loudly.

"Use your swipes to get food to take back to the room so you don't have to leave." She said, but everyone had heard anyway.

Daryl felt like sinking into a hole in the ground but his phone rang scaring the shit out of him. After he recovered form that, he looked at the phone and saw Merle's face blinking on the screen. Rolling his eyes he pushed the button to answer it. Did Merle have some kind of radar or something? He never called during the week only on Sunday afternoons.

"Hello."

"What's good baby bro?' Merle asked. "How ya doing?"

"Ah you know, nothing new here."

He said as the table erupted in laughter. Carol shrugged and gave him the I'm sorry out friends are such babies look. Daryl waved his hand at everyone to be quiet.

"Alright, well I'm about to bring some excitement your way."

"That so?"

"I got a job this weekend up near you, I'll be there Friday. What do you say I take you and Mouse out for dinner?"

He looked at Carol who had heard and nodded her head.

"Ok, text me when you get here ok?"

"Sure thing brother, see you then."

He hung up, and turned to Carol.

"Sorry I know we had…"

She shook her head.

"No worries, I want to see him, I told you I missed him, it's all good."

She said as everyone began diving into the food on the table.

"I think it's going to be fun."

"Have you met him Carol?"

He asked and she put an arm around him.

"I have and I have no fear."

She kissed his for head.

Daryl looked at her like she had two heads. Surely she knew what they were in for with Merle. Wouldn't that be worse than any walk of shame or teasing from friends? She was so hard to figure out, that had not changed.

/

He pulled her legs closer to him and knelt down at the end of the bed. He rested his chin on her stomach and looked up at her grinning a wicked grin. She looked down at him, not sure what he was up to now.

He leaned down and kissed her stomach, then licked it. She arched her back and sighed and he laid his head there, letting his breath go over where he just licked.

After a few minutes he reached up and pulled her underwear down her legs. When he got them off her he held them in his hand and grinned wickedly. He ran them through his fingers, looking at them, frilly and pretty, then stuck them in his back pocket.

"Meant to get them the other day, but I forgot." He said, winking at her.

"Really?" She sat up on her arms. "You're that guy?" She laughed.

"Apparently now I am." He laughed. As he stood up and took his pants off, leaving only his boxers on.

"Daryl, please tell me you aren't the one that stole them off our close line in ninth grade. That's so creepy" She shuddered. "That gives me the douche chills."

"Fuck no! That was Philip Blake, he showed us all in the locker room too. What a dick he was."

"What?" She said dumbfounded. "What?"

She hadn't thought that whoever took them showed anyone.

"Remember he and I got into that fight in ninth grade? When I clocked him so bad he had to wear the eye patch for a month."

She nodded.

"That was why, and I got your underwear back, but I couldn't actually give it back to you, ya know."

He shrugged.

"No, I guess not." She laughed. "Where are they now?"

"In ma room back home." He blushed. "I put them in a drawer somewhere, I swear I never did anything with them."

"Whatever, says the guy who just stole another pair."

She laughed and just then he laid down next to her.

"That's enough talking." He kissed her. "I'm giving away all my secrets now."

She rolled over so she was on top of him, placing her hands on his hips.

"What were you saying?" She ground her hips into him, he was just wearing his boxers and she had nothing on.

He groaned out loud. Merle would say he groaned like a bitch, but what else could he do? It felt amazing, if she didn't stop though he was going to come in his pants like a teenager.

"I was sayin." He rolled her back over so that he was on top of her. "I'm gonna fuck your brains out. But first….."

He kissed down her neck and pulled off her shirt in the process. As ran his hands up her ribcage and over her breast, over her nipple still in her frilly bra. She thought she was going to die. But then he dipped down his head to her other and ran his tongue over that one. Ten she was sure she would die.

"We're gonna play a game."

He pushed her bra up so she was exposed to him and then went right back to what he was doing.

"Oh, shit, Daryl." She tried to squirm away but he wouldn't let her go.

"Shh. Shhh." He moved up and kissed her deep, whispering in her ear. "I wanna make you come like this."

"I can't." She shook her head.

"Yeah, you can, lay back and relax." He moved his hands back over her nipples, rubbing in circles, until her head rolled to the side and she started breathing heavier. "You trust me still right?"

She nodded totally lost in what he was doing now. Then he was back there with his mouth on the other side. Putting one of his legs in between hers which she immediately wrapped her leg around. She really didn't believe him but then she felt it swirling inside her. Between what he was doing with his mouth and hands and her rubbing against his leg. She was on the verge of a screaming orgasm.

He brought his lips back up to her ear.

"That's it." He whispered in her ear. "Come for me Carol. "

His words sent her right over the edge and down the cliff. She totally lost her mind, coming so hard she lost her breath.

But then she was on top of him pulling his boxers down like a crazy person and slamming down on top of him so hard they both let out a huff of breath.

He reached for her hips meeting her thrust for thrust. This wasn't going to last at all, with her riding him like that. He didn't even try to hold out he just let himself go to it. Pulling her down over top of him and letting go, screaming her name.

She reached down after a few minutes of laying on top of him as they caught their breath, and pulled the blanket over them. She put her head down on his chest and he ran his fingers through her hair.

"I love you, I really do."

He kissed her head, and she nodded up at him.

"I really love you too."

 _ **A/N: Hope that wasn't too much lol.**_

 _ **The douche chills are a creepy gross feeling. Its a common phrase where I live and I find it hilarious.**_

 _ **Let me know what you think.**_


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N: As always thank you for reading and reviewing. Reviews, follows and fav's are life. They make my day._**

 ** _This is a little backstory and some Merle._**

Merle zeroed in on the blonde as she walked towards the dorm building. It was late on Friday afternoon and he was waiting for Daryl or Carol to show up. Daryl had been sketchy all week anytime he called and Merle was going to find out what was going on. He was here for a weekend job and he wanted to make sure everything was ok.

Daryl better not be flunking out or Merle was going to kick his ass.

If Daryl wouldn't talk he planned to corner Carol and make her talk.

He looked around the campus, he had been there before. Sometime last year, but that was in the winter and it was dark and dismal. Now it was almost spring and looking beautiful. There were flowering trees along the path he was watching the blonde come down.

It was a nice place, at first it had been hard for him to understand why his brother wanted to be here. Daryl was the first Dixon ever to go to college, Merle was proud. Hell, he had been proud when he was going to the community college. This school had some kind of science program he wanted to be in.

And a girl with red hair that had his brother twisted up since they were kids.

So he got why Daryl wanted to transfer from the community college he was going to last year.

It was because of her. It was always about a girl wasn't it?

The things men do.

Merle had been given a vintage 1965 Ford Mustang by their grandfather on their mother's side when he turned 21. Their grandfather passed away shortly after that and Merle took care of that car like it was his baby. To honor their grandfather's memory.

Daryl got their grandmother's engagement ring, which right now sat in a safety deposit box in their home town.

Merle was sure one day he would give it to Carol. That's why he sold the mustang. He didn't think he would ever settle down himself, but his brother? Someday he was going to marry Carol if he ever grew a set and made a move.

So he sold his car so Daryl could come here to school. He didn't bat an eye either, a Dixon was going to college. That was a miracle, and he had a partial merit scholarship. Merle knew that meant his brother was smart.

But it had to be this college, because she was here.

Daryl kept saying they were just friends, but Merle saw the way he looked at her when she wasn't paying attention.

He also saw the way she looked at him, like he hung the moon or something.

Maybe someday a girl would look at him that way, but he wasn't holding his breath.

He lit a cigarette and leaned against the concrete partition by the stair case. He continued to watch the blonde as she came closer to the building. She was a cute one with her little back pack and books. He should have gone to college he thought to himself laughing.

Andrea saw him standing there, she didn't know him, but thought maybe he was one of the new matainence men on campus. Whoever he was he had a presence, not easy to describe, she thought. Some people had it and some people didn't. This guy had it, she was kind of sorry he worked there.

In another life she would have liked to know him.

He was tall and built like a bull, she smiled at him as she came closer.

"Hey there blondie." He said to her with a nod of his head.

"My name is Andrea." She said laughing, she wasn't offended, and he didn't say it with bad intent.

"Hello, Andrea." He said taking her hand and shaking it.

"Do you work here?"

He laughed.

"No, I'm looking for my brother, maybe you know him?"

"Maybe I do." She said smiling, "Who is he?"

"Names Daryl."

She laughed again and put her back pack down. She was laughing at herself now too, for thinking he worked there.

"Well you must be Merle."

He took a drag of his cigarette and smiled at her big and wide.

"The one and only Darlin."

/

Carol and Daryl sat together in the auditorium where their Western Civilization class was. The professor was lecturing on a topic that they could barely stay awake through. Something about philosophy, Daryl was holding her hand and rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. She was busy trying to take notes and stay awake.

Neither one of them were getting what this guy was talking about. Thank God they didn't have any more classes this day. They were done, this professor was worse than a sleeping pill.

Behind them sat Maggie and Glenn, Rick and Lori sat up front because Lori couldn't see the power points. She was nearsighted and even with her glasses she still needed to sit close.

Carol's phone vibrated and a text message went across the screen. Carol picked up the phone and slid the screen to look at the text.

 ** _I'm with Merle at the student center._**

Carol's eyes grew wide and she handed the phone to Daryl whispering. "Andrea's with Merle."

"What?" He said quickly because he was in shock. "He wasn't supposed to be here until six."

He ran his hand through his hair. Shit, this wasn't going to be good. Leave it to Merle, to throw a wrench in everything.

"He's with Andrea?" He said still not believing this.

"And Michonne," She said laughing.

"Well aint that great." He said rolling his eyes. "Tell her we'll be there in ten minutes and tell her sorry if he's hitting on her."

Carol giggled and typed the message back to Andrea.

 ** _He's taking me to breakfast tomorrow._**

Came the reply, Carol snickered and handed the phone to Daryl.

He rolled his head back.

"Oh fuck my life."

/

Merle was entertaining Andrea and Michonne with stories about Carol, Maggie, Glenn and Daryl when they were kids as they sat at a table drinking coffees. Michonne had come upon them as they were walking to the student center, so they all went together. Merle didn't understand about the whole meal swipe thing. Andrea got them all coffee with her school ID.

Merle didn't like for a girl to pay his way. So that was when he said he was taking Andrea to breakfast, and she happily agreed. She liked Daryl's brother, he was a few years older and he had a personality so different from Daryl.

Where Daryl was shy, Merle was not. Daryl would have never approached a girl he didn't know. Merle had no problem doing that, you never knew if you didn't try.

That's what he had been trying to get through to his brother, with no luck. Merle considered trying to light a fire under Carol's ass over his brother, he might have to.

Maybe he could talk to her this weekend if he could get her alone. Tell her Daryl was never going to make a move and she would have to. He was too afraid to lose her friendship, he had told Merle that a million and one times.

So Merle was in the middle of telling a story about how Daryl used to climb the big tree in Carol's yard at night so he could sit on the branch close to her window. He snuck out of the house on many occasions to climb that tree.

They would talk like that for hours in the summertime, listening to all the night creatures make their music. Crickets and bull frogs and any other thing that came out at night in the country.

Carol's mother would never let Daryl in Carol's room once they were around thirteen, and it was the same at their house, shit even their mothers knew what was up.

So he would sit up in the tree and Carol would share her coke with him passing it out the window to him. Sometimes they would smoke passing the lit cigarette between then and Carol leaning far out the window to blow the smoke away. Her mother would have had a fit if she knew she was smoking. She knew Daryl and Merle did, but until the day she died Carol had kept that from her.

Merle was the only one that knew they did that.

So he was telling the story of how Carol's father had almost busted Daryl climbing down the tree one night. By this time Eugene, Tara, Rosita and Abraham had joined them also. Merle had an audience now, just the way he liked it.

He turned his head and saw Maggie and Glenn coming in the door that was across the room, followed by Rick and Lori. They were all close together like couples were, nothing strange about that. But then he saw Carol and his brother outside the door, he had his arm around her. She was leaning against the glass window by the door and he was standing next to her.

That in of itself wasn't unusual, sometimes Daryl would hug Carol or put his arm around her quickly.

But this was different, it was intimate, he was whispering something in her ear and whatever it was it made her smile this sweet little smile. Well, he didn't have to be a rocket scientist for this one.

Ok, Merle thought to himself, nodding, it's like that now. Finally.

Then he turned to Tara.

"When did those two hook up.?" He asked her and she shrugged, trying to stay out of it.

"Look little lady, I've been watching this nightmare of who's afraid to make the first move with those two for too many years, you have no idea." He shook his head. "It's pretty recent, I'm gonna guess, and he's been sketchy this week, I'm going to guess less than a week, amirite?"

He looked back at Tara, who still refused to commit to an answer.

"It's about fuckin time." He said and he heard Glenn laughing behind him. That boy always gave away everything, couldn't keep a secret to save his life. He nodded to Tara and she gave him a little smile.

Daryl and Carol were coming in now and walking towards the table. Merle got up and went to hug them both at the same time.

"Hey little brother, Carol, been here hanging with your friends, good group they are."

Carol kissed him on the cheek and stepped back by Daryl. Merle hugged Maggie and shook Glenn's hand. They both were happy to see him. Merle had been like everyone's big brother back home.

"Good to see you again short round, Miss Maggie."

"You too Merle, glad you're here. " Maggie said as she and Glenn sat down.

"This is Rick Grimes and Lori Taylor." Carol said. "This is Daryl's brother Merle."

"Pleased to meet ya'll." He said shaking Rick's hand and nodding to Lori as they sat down next to Glenn and Maggie.

Then he turned to Carol and Daryl who were still standing and smiled. And said in front of everyone, because he was Merle.

"So." He motioned his hand between them. "How long you two been knocking boots?"

 ** _A/N: As always, thank you for reading. I love you all._**


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N: A deviant dinner, some memories and some words of wisdom. Thank you to everyone who reads and lets me know what they think._**

Merle had some news to tell, so as soon as they were seated he went right into his story. He didn't even take time to tease them which was very unlike him. He had been waiting, as he told the others, for a long time to gloat over this. He had called it a long time ago, so he would have his say, but he had something else on his mind first.

They both were actually really surprised. Merle was not busting their balls and this time he had great ammo.

This was not like Merle at all.

"So brother, I got some news to tell ya." Merle said.

He looked across the table at Carol and Daryl who were sitting next to each other. They were practically on each other's laps. Merle guessed they were making up for lost time.

"Ok." Daryl said. "Let's hear it."

"Got a promotion, and a raise, going to be about half an hour from here two days a week Thursdays and Fridays, starting next week."

Carol broke into a smile, this was going to be great. Just like old times, the three of them again. She imagined Merle missed them as much as they missed him.

"I'm district manager of three counties, and I'll have weekends off now, so we can all see a lot more of each other. "

Carol picked up her glass of iced tea and motioned for them to raise their glasses. They did and clicked them all together.

"Congrats, you deserve it, I know you worked hard for this. " Carol said.

"Proud of you brother." Daryl said giving his brother his signature one head bob nod.

"Merle this really is wonderful, but where will you stay, if you'll be here four days a week?" Carol asked.

"They putting me up in a hotel on Thursday nights and then I can just stay over and pay myself for any other nights I want to stay."

Carol was happy to hear this, they hadn't seen too much of him in the last two years. This would be good for Daryl. He had friends here, but having his brother around more would be even better than that.

"This is on me kids, get whatever you want, and over dinner Carol you can tell me all about your friend Andrea."

Daryl rolled his eyes. There it was, Merle was going to be up everybody's ass trying to get in Andrea's pants.

"Merle if you want to know anything about her you can ask her yourself." Carol said. And that was just what Daryl wanted her to say and just what Merle expected.

He nodded and stood up. Carol never minced words with him and he respected her for it. She was for all intents and purposes, his sister and they treated each other as such.

"Fine Carol, thanks for nothing." He said laughing at her.

"You're welcome." She smiled. "That's what I'm here for."

"Funny little sis, I thought you were here to fuck my brother. " He smiled wide at her. "Finally."

He said slipping away from her hand that was trying to smack him.

"Oh, I am, if about two hours from now, I can't wait either." She said giving him a wink and reaching for Daryl's leg.

Merle nodded to her. Same old Carol, she wouldn't give him and inch if she wasn't inclined to. He loved her, albeit, in a way different way that Daryl did. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Goin to take a piss, order me Buffalo wings and bacon cheese burger, rare, well done fries. "Merle told her. "And don't think when I get back I'm not gonna lecture you both about your grades and birth control, cause I am."

He walked up the isle towards the back of the restaurant. Carol turned to Daryl and he was about to say something and she knew it.

"Don't say it." She leaned over to kiss him. She reached down and ran her hand over his thigh. "I don't even want to think about it just smile and nod your head."

She kept moving her hand up higher and higher and he didn't think she was going to stop. He was wide awake now, even though he was falling asleep in class before.

"Hello, I wasn't expecting that." He said laughing.

"Ok, I'll stop." She started to pull her hand away and he stopped her, with his hand, moving hers back to where it was.

"No, don't stop." He looked over at her grinning. "You know Merle is going to be a huge pain in the ass now that he's interested in Andrea."

She nodded. "Not my circus, not my monkeys." She squeezed his leg, dangerously close to his dick and he was well aware of it. "This is my circus."

She squeezed again and leaned in to kiss him again. It had only been five days since they got drunk and went home together and yet it felt like longer to both of them.

It had been a storm brewing between them for as long as they both could remember.

There had been signs that neither one of them was prepared to read before. As much as they had wanted to believe they didn't see this happening, they both realized it wasn't really a shock. Not if they really thought about it. Not if they were honest with themselves.

Maggie had said Daryl tried to scare off her boyfriends and that was a little true. Carol said she never thought of him that way, but she did.

Just as much as he thought about her that way.

The waitress came by and they ordered their food and Merle's and all the while Carol was rubbing his leg and he was having trouble keeping his eyes from rolling into the back of his head. Then they were alone again.

They had come a long way in five days.

She was letting her guard down with him more and more each day. She had been so shy on Tuesday and now she was snaking her hand up his leg in a restaurant.

"Andrea is a big girl, if she wants to see Merle I say leave her to it." She ran her hand further up his leg until she got where she wanted to be.

He let out a low sigh. "Can't we just go?" He breathed out, leaning his head back against the seat in the booth they were sitting in, letting her know she was on the mark.

She shook her head and kissed him, then Merle was walking back to the table. He side eye looked at them as he walked by.

They turned from each other as Merle leaned forward.

"This how it's gonna be now you two pawing each other like a coupla animals." He cackled. "Jeez, you got a new toy now you can't let go of Carol."

"Fuck off Merle." Carol said, squinting at him and then she smiled big and wide to him. Daryl started laughing and Merle just shook his head.

Yes, nothing had changed, Merle thought to himself and his brother was going to have his hands full with this one. She was a firecracker and always had been.

What was that saying, the two greatest tragedies in life? One is to lose your heart's desire and the other is to gain it.

His brother finally had his heart's desire. Merle hoped he could handle what that meant.

/

Merle drove them back to the dorms after dinner, neither Carol nor Daryl had a car on campus. When the pulled up in the back of the dorm Carol saw Michonne and Tara standing by the door. She quickly kissed Merle goodbye and told Daryl to come catch up with her.

She knew Merle wanted a little time to talk to Daryl or tease him, whatever he was inclined to do at the moment.

She waved to Tara and walked towards them. When she got to them and stood with them talking at the door of their dorm.

Merle turned to Daryl who was sitting in the passenger side of his car.

"You happy now?" He asked although he was pretty sure he knew the answer to that question.

Daryl nodded. Happy didn't even begin to cover it.

"Do you remember when you were six years old and you said you were gonna marry her one day?" Merle asked. Daryl remembered.

"Yeah, I remember, was a little kid." Daryl said. Knowing that he had always felt that way about her, never thinking it would be possible.

He looked out the window at her talking to Tara and Michonne. She really was his now. That thought overwhelmed him.

She must have felt his eyes on her because she turned, waved and blew him a kiss.

He may have been a little kid, but he knew even then. He also knew his grandmother's ring was right there for him when he was ready.

He knew one day he would ask her, he always knew.

"Don't matter Daryl, you haven't been watching this like I have." Merle said. "I don't care how many girls you fucked or how many guys she's fucked. You two are something different, although you are a couple of deviants, doing that shit at the restaurant. But, whatever, you know what I mean. There's a difference between fucking and love."

Merle stopped and took out a cigarette and offered one to Daryl, who took it. Merle lit them both and took a drag.

"I'm aware Merle." Daryl said, taking a drag off his cigarette.

"That so, cause got something to say to you." Merle said, fixing his steel blue eyes on his brother.

"I know, keep your grades up, don't spend all your time in the sack and use condoms, you gave us that lecture already."

"For as long as I can remember, you've been in love with her." He blew the smoke out. "And she's been in love with you."

"It's true I guess." Daryl said.

"Oh it is, and I'm happy you two finally got there, but I wanna give you a word of advice."

Daryl nodded. He would let Merle be his big brother and offer his sage advice.

"I don't think it's ever going to be in the cards for me to find my person, but she has always been yours. Remember now that things are different, if you fight, it will mean something different than it used to." He then looked over at her now. "Before ya'll could get mad and act like assholes, make up, and it would be fine."

Daryl nodded, he and Carol did have their share of fights, usually over dumb things, but sometimes not so dumb things. They always made up.

Sometimes they wouldn't talk to each other for a few days, he hated that, so he always was the one to make amends. He would get her favorite candy and climb up the tree, knock on her window and show her the candy. It was always a Hershey bar with almonds, her favorite.

She would stand there with her hands on her hips, but she always opened the window.

"Something goes down now? Gonna take more than a Hershey bar to win her back." Merle said. "That's if you could win her back."

Daryl wasn't planning on having to buy any Hershey bars in the near future. He wasn't losing her.

"Remember the time she threw that drink at you and tried to walk home from O'Neil's." Merle said, pulling him from his thoughts.

Daryl remembered, Carol, Merle and he had gone out one night to a local bar to celebrate Merle's birthday. They all were playing pool and Daryl was lurking around giving the eye to anyone that came near her. That wasn't really anything new.

That went on for a while and then they moved to the bar area of the place.

They were drinking, Merle was hitting on the bartender and Carol was talking to a nice fellow named Joe, who was standing by her chair at the bar. At one point Daryl had come up to the guy and shoulder bumped him as he walked by.

Carol was furious.

Daryl made it clear he didn't want her talking to him. He had no specific reason, not one he could voice anyway, just that he didn't like it.

Merle had told him to knock it off, but by then he had a few beers and had alcohol courage. He almost invited the guy outside.

Carol got pissed and threw her drink in his face and stomped off after he scared the guy off.

"Do you know what she said to me the next day?" Merle said.

"Probably what an asshole I was."

"Wrong. She said, he doesn't own me. Why does he act like I'm his property?" Merle said. "But she was crying, you understand what I'm saying."

"Don't make her cry." He said with a question in his voice, he didn't plan on it. She would never cry because of him.

He intended to make her the happiest woman in the world, for as long as she would have him.

"She was crying over you and ya'll weren't doing nothing. She was crying because you were being an ass, that was ok, ya all made up like half an hour later. Because ya were just friends then, now it's more. You can't lose your head over something. Say or do things you might regret, because it's all different now."

"I know that Merle, I'm not stupid."

"Good, don't fuck this up, I'm not in the mood to deal with you like you were when she left to come here." Merle said.

"I wasn't that bad."

"Daryl you acted like you lost your best friend and your puppy for those nine weeks before you came here. It was pitiful, look, I want you both to be happy, for a long time."

"We will be, don't worry."

"M'kay then, I'll see you in the morning."

Daryl got out of the car and walked to her. Merle watched him put his arms around her and pull her back against him like he had been doing it all his life. She was smiling and she reached up and behind her to touch his cheek in such a loving gesture. He kissed her fingers as she was doing that.

Merle smiled.

To gain your heart's desire, maybe someday he would know what his heart's desire was.


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N: Just a little update, I didn't forget this story, I just haven't had a whole lot of time. Thank you for hanging in with me._**

Merle picked Andrea up at nine am and Daryl and Carol were still in bed in his dorm room.

She woke up first and he was wrapped around her like a vine. He was warm and she snuggled back into him letting out a sigh of contentment. In such a short time she had gotten so used to him.

He pulled her closer, his breath puffing out on the back of her neck. She felt his hands roaming up towards her breasts but he was still asleep.

He was rocking his hips into her now too and he let out a soft moan. He was dreaming it seemed but she could feel him getting hard against her ass. It was turning her on and she moved back against him making him moan again, low in his throat.

They stayed like that a few minutes, him holding her breasts and rocking into her.

She wondered if he was going to wake up or just keep humping her in his sleep. She reached behind her and took ahold of his dick. Just to see what would happen.

She got her answer soon enough when he woke up with a start.

"Shit Carol, I'm sorry."

She rolled over with a gleam in her eye. "I'm not."

Before he knew it she was on top of him and he just blinked his eyes because it had happened so fast. She leaned down and kissed him smiling that beautiful smile that was just for him.

"Good morning." She said smiling down at him.

"Mornin."

"I have to work today at the library." She said,

"I know I'm doing desk today for Milton, he has a date." He answered.

"Oh who with?" She said reaching for a bottle of water that was on the nightstand.

"Francis." He moaned out because she was moving around on him in an extremely delicious way. "What time are you done?"

"Three, I'm ten to three today."

"Ok we have forty five minutes then." He said moving his hands up her thighs and giving her a grin.

She nodded slowly getting an evil look in her eyes. She scooted down until she was between his legs and played with the waistband of his boxers. She leaned her face down and licked his stomach, looking up at him. She ran her fingers under the waistband of his boxers and he sucked in a breath.

He was looking at her now with intent, his pupils blow wide. She rolled her tongue around on his stomach as she pulled his boxers down slowly. She never took her eyes off of him and it was so hot he wished there was a way to capture the moment and keep it forever. Their eyes were locked into each other, and he knew what she was doing.

He lifted his hips to help her and then she had her mouth on him and his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Oh god dam Carol." He breathed out. "You know how to wake a guy up."

He closed his eyes and concentrated on her and what she was doing to him. Her mouth was so hot and wet that he couldn't help bucking his hips into her. She was a dream come true alright.

He reached down and rubbed her head with both his hands as she ran her tongue and lips all over him. The feeling was pooling in his gut in minutes, she got him there like nobody else could and he knew it was because he loved her.

He loved her with every fiber in his body, and had for as long as he could remember. They hadn't even been together a week and he knew, he just knew he wanted to be with her forever.

He would have pinched himself except that he definitely knew he was awake and Carol was sucking his dick first thing in the morning. There was no mistaking that.

That little thought brought him right to the edge and he was about to fall.

"Baby, come up here." He said running out of breath but she wouldn't stop. He looked down at her losing control of his body now, watching her with heavy lidded eyes.

He moved his hips and she continued taking him into her mouth and had added her hand. She twisted her hand every few seconds up his dick and between that and her mouth he was so close.

He was moving his hips still not able to stop his hands running through her hair.

"Car, I'm gonna…" He sighed out. "I'm…."

She responded by humming and taking him all the way into her mouth.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmm." She hummed again and he thought he saw her smile at him.

That smile she gave him totally undid him and he came screaming a string of profanities that he never would have believed he would say. "Oh holy shit, god damn mother fucker….fuuccccck."

She stayed there as his hips bucked and his body shuddered with pleasure and his words flew out of his mouth uncontrollably.

He could barely handle the fact that she let him come in her mouth, it made him dizzy every time.

He watched her as she sat up swallowing and he couldn't move. She crawled up to him and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Damn woman are you trying to kill me?"

She laughed and he kissed her sweetly then rolled over on top of her and started kissing down her neck as he mumbled 'Your turn now.'

/

Andrea came back to the dorm later and Daryl was on duty as the desk warden with Tyreese, she didn't look angry so he breathed a sigh of relief as she approached him. She actually looked happy.

"Merle said to tell you he had a meeting to go to, but he'll be back to take us to dinner later. "She said smiling. "He's a nice guy Daryl, loves you like crazy."

She said as she started to walk over to the door to the hall way that led to the rooms. Then she turned back to Daryl.

"He thinks you'll marry Carol one day and for the record, so do I You're good together, better than when you're apart." She said. "See you at dinner."

He sat back and Tyreese started to whistle as if he didn't hear but he couldn't suppress a smile either. Daryl just rolled his eyes. He knew it too, that ring was in the safety deposit box and had been for twelve years when his grandparents passed away.

He had always known that one day he wanted to give that ring to Carol. He was still kind of in shock a little about everything. This had been one crazy week. He woke up with her on Tuesday morning and now it was Saturday.

In the space of less than a week his whole life had changed, and he had known her since they were babies. They had been by each other's side their whole lives. He remembered when they were about nine they had been out in the woods just walking and killing time.

Carol tripped over a root and hit her head hard on the ground. She was awake but dizzy and he had carried her out of the woods at least a mile to their houses. He was crying the whole time and he would have nightmares about that day for years to come.

He had been so scared that day that something was going to happen to her and even though she was fine he hadn't been able to shake that feeling for a long time.

He woke up sometimes after that, in the middle of the night in a cold sweat thinking she was gone and then he would look across his yard at her window and sigh with relief.

He could not lose her then and he could not lose her now. He had built his whole world around her, she was his person.

When Andrea said that to him he realized that he always held Carol up and she held him up and that's how it worked with them.

When he was strong he took care of her when he was weak it was her who took care of him.

When he was fifteen he had broken his ankle doing bike jumps off a ramp with Merle and Glenn. He couldn't walk on it for six weeks.

Every day after school Carol brought his homework, she helped him do it. She helped him walk to the bathroom and made brownies for him, which was his favorite. They still were to this day.

He had an outrageous chocolate habit. She fed it all his life. She fed his life, brought something to it that was missing and he never wanted to be without it again.

He was going to ask Merle to bring the ring to him when he came back next weekend.

 ** _A/N: Thank you for reading, let me know what you think._** **** ** _xxxxx_**


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/N: A proposal_**

Merle brought the ring to him the next weekend and he carried it around in his pocket for the next three weeks. Every time Merle called him or came to visit them and Andrea too now, he asked him. "Did you ask her yet?"

His reply was always no because he was driving himself crazy trying to think of something clever. He wanted her to be surprised. He wanted it to be special for her, something she wouldn't see coming. So he carried the ring around hoping for some kind of inspiration.

It wasn't coming and that ring was a weight in his pocket with each passing day. Reminding him that he had no imagination at all.

Glenn and Rick were no help, they suggested cheesy things like a hot air balloon or putting it in a glass of champagne and that wasn't them. He and Carol weren't those people, Rick could do that and Glenn could, but it wasn't them.

Merle said just fuckin ask her, so he was no help either.

So on one side he had Merle saying don't do anything special and then on the other side was hot air balloons and champagne.

He was lost. He was only doing this once and he needed to do it right.

None of the girls knew he had a ring for Carol, he made Glenn and Rick practically swear a blood oath not to tell anyone and they didn't.

They had known each other for twenty years. How could he put into words how he felt about her? Half the time he was still so surprised that this had happened between them.

They had shared every special moment in their lives, if any two people were soul mates he knew it was them.

He just knew and he always had really, even if at the time he thought soulmates were friends.

There was a time when he thought for sure they would always be just friends and he was ok with that. She had been by his side for his whole life.

He wanted forever.

It was April now and it stayed lighter out longer. It was a Saturday night and the group of them, plus Merle, who was now dating Andrea were walking to Donovan's. It had been four weeks since that first night they went home together.

School was almost done and everyone was laughing and having a great time walking down the side walk. Tara, Lori, Andrea, Michonne and Eugene walked all in a row, then came Rick, Shane, Merle, Maggie and Andrea.

Carol, walked alongside Rosita and Abe and Daryl, and Glenn were behind every one at the end. They were huge pack of kids just going out for a night on the town. There were various conversations going on between each group, and it was starting out as a good night.

Daryl stopped walking and he called to Carol, he was so overwhelmed with the feeling that his life was complete, and that it could never get any better than this moment.

They were on the side walk not too far from Donovan's.

So he called her name as everyone stopped and turned around, Merle winked at him when he saw his hand in his jacket pocket.

When Carol turned around he was down on one knee. She breathed out 'Oh my God." as she brought her hand up to her mouth and started to cry. He took his hand out of his pocket and she saw there was a ring box and she cried even more.

His hands were shaking as he took her hand which were also shaking.

"Carol, we've been together all our lives, I can't imagine a life without you. Would you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?"

She couldn't speak at first but she nodded her. She finally found the words to say yes, as he was slipping the ring on her finger, both of their hands still shaking.

Then she was in his arms where she planned to stay for the rest of her days.

 ** _A/N: Ok I finished another one, I'm on a roll now. I know a lot of people thought there was more to tell in this story, but it feels right to end it here. Thank you so much to everyone who supported this story. It was my baby. The second story I ever started. The second one to be finished._**


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